A Day at the Races: Sunjammer
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: Leia and Han attend one of the races Jarik participates in.


A DAY AT THE RACES: SUNJAMMER

"Relax. He's a great pilot," Han said to Leia, giving her hand a squeeze. "And sun jamming isn't nearly as dangerous as sling racing or rocket sledding."

"Somehow, I don't find that comforting," Leia responded. "I worry about him, Han. He hasn't any career aspirations beyond racing and playing sabacc."

"Hey, I got a long way on racing and playing sabacc."

"Were you planning to make a career of it?"

"At the time I wasn't planning anything."

"He'll be seventeen in two weeks. He's graduated secondary, and when I ask him what he'd like to do with the rest of his life, he just laughs and says he'll see what happens."

"He'll probably end up joining the biz with Jag and Jaina, which is what I think he considers settling down to be. He's got skills. Leia, you were already working in the Imperial Senate at fifteen. I think that's actually more the exception than the rule. He's gonna do some runs with me, especially once Jaina's further along." Jaina and Jag had announced recently that they were expecting their first child. It was the reasons that the couple wasn't present; it was the height of the heat season and Jaina wasn't feeling great. Normally, she enjoyed watching her little brother race. Today, it was just Han and Leia; Jacen was working at the veterinary clinic he owned with his former classmate Elon, and Anakin was at home on Corellia. He had a job as a mechanical engineer, something he was very gifted at. Jarik had always been closer to Jacen, but he'd consulted with Anakin a great deal on his design for his sun jammer.

"I guess all of our kids have had to find their own paths," Leia said. "I just worry about him sometimes. He's so...so..."

"Unserious? Yeah, he is. Then again, he doesn't have the burden of being a Jedi."

"Luke would take issue with you calling it a burden," Leia pointed out.

"I'm just calling it as I see it."

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Each sun jammer was equipped with a small holocam so that the participants could be seen even on parts of the track hundreds of kilometers away. Sun jammers were only expected to race 450 kilometers, a far cry from the 800 for sling racing and 2 megameters for rocket sledding.

Not only did the holocams show the race itself but recorded any disqualifying behavior on the part of the participants, which Leia suspected was the real reason

Jarik fell behind in some spots and was nearly knocked off his jammer but pulled ahead to take the lead.

"Sometimes I wish he'd lose more often," Leia said.

"Not with the kind of money I bet on him, you don't," Han advised her, but put his arm over her shoulders. He knew that these events made her nervous.

They watched as Jarik weaved in and out, looking for his most comfortable spot. The canyons and passes that comprised the track were steep, dangerous and in some parts prone to avalanches.

Jarik cleared a section of track just in time; some of his opponents had a shower of rocks dumped down on them.

Leia was clearly holding her breath. "I suspect that if the rocks had come down on him, he'd try maneuvering it like he did the asteroid field."

"He didn't do badly on the few we've come across," Han said to her. Both continued to watch as Jarik continued dipping, diving and pulling up and around. Leia was getting very dizzy. He had on goggles and a helmet, but Han could see that Jarik was grinning. "He's in the final stretch. You might want to cover your eyes for this."

"No, I've made it so far without a heart attack. Well, this time, anyway," Leia conceded.

"I used to swoop race going faster and farther than this," Han assured her. "So'd your brother."

"I just worry. What happens when he starts losing? And eventually, he will. Assuming he survives."

"He'll be fine. He gets a little knocked around but he's never even had a concussion."

"We're on a first name basis at the medcenter," Leia reminded him. All of his life, even before he got into racing, Jarik regularly required sutures and even the occasional broken bone. He'd only broken one arm and a collarbone.

"You know about the Solo luck, don't you?" Han asked.

"I do, and I think he's pushing it."

"Oh, wow! Did you see how far he pulled out in front? I'm gonna win the spread and the first place!" Han's excitement was palpable. "And I'm pretty close on placing the others."

"You've only been gambling for what, fifty years now?" Leia sighed.

"Yeah, something like that." His eyes were fixed on the track. Leia wanted to cover her eyes but it was like a speeder wreck; everyone had to look.

"Besides, if he wins, he'll share the credits with Sarkon and Quall." Sarkon and Quall were Jarik's two best friends. The three spent most of their time working on their speeders and racers and whoever won shared. "He's a lot of things, but selfish isn't one of them."

"He's a good kid," Han agreed. "Just risk happy."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Leia said to him, chuckling a little. Han felt her relax a little. Leia attended as many of his races as she could, but she was always nervous.

"Oh man, he is really pouring it on! Go get it, kid!"

Both parents were transfixed as they watched their youngest son jam his way to the finish line. There was a great deal of cheering and screeching; Jarik was a particular favorite of bookies around the galaxy, and it looked as if they were going to be rewarded.

Jarik jumped out of the jammer and waved to everyone as he ran towards where his parents were sitting.

"I won, I won!" Jarik shrieked gleefully.

Leia embraced him tightly. "You know, you don't have to do this to impress me."

"Yeah, but it's so much fun!" It was Jarik's view of the universe; it was there for his entertainment.

"Nice going, kid," Han said, patting his son on his shoulder. The two were nearly eye to eye in height. "I don't have to take your prize money this time."

"Yeah, you haven't had to do that in ages. Gotta go back down, Quall's coming in now, and Sark's just behind him. Come meet us in the winner's circle!"

The two watched as Jarik loped his way down to the winner's circle to meet his friends. No matter who placed first, among the three friends, they were all in the winner's circle. Later on they'd party down with those who lost; a few of the racers didn't like Jarik, but most people found his energy and generosity irresistible. He was hilarious and kind hearted.

"Now comes the scary part," Han said as they made their way to the winner's circle.

"Define 'scary.'"

"A bunch of teenagers eating us out of house and home. Again."

"You win. Let's see how many supermarkets we can clean out before they get there."


End file.
